Reflections Magazine Issue #80 - Spring 2014 | Page 15

Athletics Feature

the NAIA tournament. In 2012-13, the Saints finished 23-10
and earned an at-large berth to the NAIA Tournament, losing
in the opening round to Briar Cliff (Iowa). This season, the
Saints started 5-5, and there was some doubt if they would
return to the national stage.
“I was mad. I was confused,” Howrigon said of her team’s
start. “I didn’t know what it was happening, but I wasn’t going
to let it continue.”

The Saints proceeded to rattle off 10 straight wins and
never looked back. In fact, the Saints made it to their first conference tournament championship game, where they lost to
second-ranked Davenport 75-74 in the final seconds. However,
they clinched an automatic berth to the NAIA Tournament
in the process.
“Last year, we were on Cloud Nine,” Howrigon said of the
team’s first appearance at nationals. “Everyone was so nervous.
It was like playing on a stage. The difference from this year to
last year was that we knew we should be there. We knew we
could win. We weren’t scared. We weren’t nervous.”
The Saints drubbed ranked Tennessee Wesleyan 77-59 in
the opening round before bowing out to eventual national
champion St. Francis (Ind.). Syljebeck points out that five
of those nine losses came to St. Francis (two) and Davenport
(three), which finished 1-2 in the final national rankings.
“It’s a great feeling to be a
part of something like that,”
Howrigon said of the program’s
success. “It’s really been an amazing experience for me. …
Obviously basketball has been
a huge part of it.”
Howrigon graduates in August and hopes to use her sport
management degree to pursue a
career in college coaching, and
may try to continue her basketball career overseas.
“It’s going to be hard to watch
from the sidelines,” she said.
“I’m not ready.”
Even though the Saints return a group that includes six
seniors next season, Syljebeck said replacing Howrigon will
be difficult.
“She didn’t care whether she got the accolades, which
makes her even more special,” she said. “She didn’t care less
whether she got MVP or all-tournament as long as we won
the tournament or won the game.
“It’s a tribute to Grace that so many firsts have been accomplished in the program. We wouldn’t have done it without her.” u

Reflections Spring ’14 | 15